Thursday, December 27, 2007

Appointment of 23-year-old to SBMA board hit

Appointment of 23-year-old to SBMA board hit

By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk

Sen. Richard Gordon and Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso are protesting the appointment of a 23-year-old scion of the Magsaysay family by President Macapagal-Arroyo to the board of the state-owned Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

In separate interviews recently, Gordon and Deloso said Jesus Vicente "Jobo" Magsaysay II, 23, never held a job prior to his appointment as SBMA director.

But Magsaysay said in a phone interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer that his SBMA stint has so far been the second job he held in his life. The first was as political affairs officer in his mother's congressional office. "I ran the office and I took that job seriously," he said.

Gordon said in a Dec. 15 interview that Republic Act 7227, or the Bases Conversion Law that also created the SBMA, was not followed again in Magsaysay’s appointment.

"The workers of the (former Subic Naval Base) have been totally excluded," said Gordon, the first chair of the SBMA and former mayor of Olongapo City, where much of the former base workers live.

He said former employees of the United States military in the base's ship repair, public works and naval centers should have representatives in the SBMA board to ensure the "continuity of the vision."

The law gave bases conversion agencies, chiefly the Bases Conversion Development Authority, the task of managing programs and projects to convert Subic, Clark, Camp John Hay and several former American baselands into productive uses and make the former workers of the US bases as well as other sectors part of the progress in these new economic zones.

"I was really disturbed by it," he said of Magsaysay's appointment, adding that he learned about this from Deloso.

Governor Deloso said in a Dec. 19 interview that he was "upset" by Magsaysay’s appointment.

"I don't know what the boy would contribute to the SBMA when he has not done any job in his life," Deloso said.

SBMA Chair Feliciano Salonga on Wednesday confirmed that Magsaysay joined the 14-member board as private sector representative of Zambales.

Magsaysay's father and grandfather, former Gov. Vicente Magsaysay, lost in their gubernatorial and senatorial bids, respectively, in the May 14 elections.

"[Magsaysay] was appointed by our President. She wrote us a letter for Jobo to join the board," Salonga said in a phone interview.

He said the young Magsaysay attended two board meetings this December.

Magsaysay said he finished AB Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he is also taking his master in public management.

"I'm young but I'm capable of doing the job. As a director, I think I can do moral decision-making. Wala akong bahid na anything na marumi (I have not been smeared by any wrongdoing)," he told the INQUIRER.

Magsaysay said he should not be perceived as someone riding on the name of his family.

"I want to excel. I will ask my elders for advice but the decision-making will be mine," he said.

Age, according to him, should "never be an issue" because "there are many young people in government agencies and in Congress."

"My grandfather became governor when he was 26," he said.

His mother, Representative Magsaysay said the opinions of her son's detractors should "not be the yardstick by which to measure my son's capability."

"Who are they to judge him?" she asked.

"He's sobrang level-headed. Marunong siyang sumabay ke nasa mataas ka o mababa. Nenerbiyosin sila sa kanya because he's qualified (My son is extremely level-headed. He knows how to deal with people from all walks of life. They’re scared of him because he's qualified]," the congresswoman said of her son, the eldest in a brood of six.

Her son, she added, was "not bobo (dumb)."

Salonga called Magsaysay "our young David." "He's in a learning mode, absorbing much of the issues. I'm guiding him in the issues because his parents are friends to me," the SBMA chair said.

As director, Magsaysay gets P10,000 in honorarium per meeting (two or three are held monthly), free housing within the freeport and gas allowance.

"I'm bias in favor of Ateneo graduates because they turn out to be useful to us," Salonga said.

The position of the late Jose Calimlim as senior deputy administrator has not been filled up yet. Calimlim, 62, died on Nov. 30 after a lingering illness.

Political Pro.. The sitting leaders should formally act on this matter for Malacanang and SBMA to have on its records the point of view of the local leaders, this discussion is good for the leaders to know the pulse of its constituency and its now up for the leaders . . . the Provincial Board, Sangguniang Pambayan and the City Council to have their positions clearly stated on the matter. It this discussion is not suffecient for them to react, then the stake-holders (NGOs, POs - Business Groups, Worker's Groups, ABC, etc) should prompt them to by writing their own resolutions and have it submitted to their respective sanggunians. Now if ever there will be no reaction from stake holders, then its either the appointment if okay with the constituency or the people have turned into the "Idon't care attitude"By Political Pro, at 12/29/2007 7:26 AM

This is how blatant show of abuse of authority by GMA and the callousness of the Magsaysays. They are making a big joke of SBMA. Ginagawang gatasan at hanapbuhay ng mga Magsaysay ang gobyerno.

LETS BE CONSTRUCTIVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE LETS DO AWAY WITH POLITICAL AFFILIATONS AND GIVE THE KIDDO A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF AND HAVE HIS PERFORMANCE PROPERLY EVALUATED WITHOUT BIASED IF HE DID GOOD LET IT BE! AND IF NOT THEN LET THE AXE FALL AND KICK THE TODDLER OUT OF HIS CRIB! AND BRING HER BACK UNDER HER MOTHERS SKIRT!!!By Anonymous, at 12/30/2007 12:52 PMLet me comment on the comments of this Boy Director:1. "...learning curve ko mabilis na matuto..." - Yeah, that's the way to do it, there's nothing like a PAID TRAINING (at 30 thou a month). Nasa Board para matuto at pag-aralan: "learning mode, absorbing much of the issues"...2. "...They’re scared of him because he's qualified." - Coming from an elected congresswoman. So that means those people ("detractors") must be less qualified than this dude. Hmmmm...3. "...Magsaysay said he should not be perceived as someone riding on the name of his family." - Duh, taking up PolSci and adding SBMA Director to his biodata with a surname like yours, tell me dude, who are you kidding?:)By Louie of Riyadh, KSA, at 12/30/2007 3:58 PM

"I worked for my mother's congressional election", that was my very first job. "An Ateneo graduate of Potical Science".

Huh? Who would ever appoint a person with limited knowledge? An ordinary person will never be appointed as a member. 10,000 pesos per meeting, free housing, and many more that we ordinary does'nt know. Why dont we give this spot to a person who has the experience and knowledge about the real worker issues?This person appointment is very disturbing. A mother will always tell you that their son is a hard worker and capable of doing things. Selecting a young member is not a problem. A person name and school name should'nt be associated with the process.

My personal issue here is qualification. I have no doubt that this person's (Magsaysay) relatives and friends will attest to everyone that he is qualified. I am also not in a position to question his qualifications. My only concern or issue is "Is this the only person qualified to do this job?" Let's be fair!

Either way, I'm sure nothing will happen. It's just how politics is run in our country. Very sad!

"Give this young man a chance". this typical reaction is really unimpressive. Would you ever see a Juan de la cruz a having such kind of position at his age? Would they ever pick a guy from Columban,RMTU,Virgen or Gordon college who understand the real issues of the region? Hundreds of hungry job hunter from this institutions are trying their luck to find a job...

The sitting leaders should formally act on this matter for Malacanang and SBMA to have on its records the point of view of the local leaders, this discussion is good for the leaders to know the pulse of its constituency and its now up for the leaders . . . the Provincial Board, Sangguniang Pambayan and the City Council to have their positions clearly stated on the matter. It this discussion is not suffecient for them to react, then the stake-holders (NGOs, POs - Business Groups, Worker's Groups, ABC, etc) should prompt them to by writing their own resolutions and have it submitted to their respective sanggunians. Now if ever there will be no reaction from stake holders, then its either the appointment if okay with the constituency or the people have turned into the "Idon't care attitude"

LETS BE CONSTRUCTIVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE LETS DO AWAY WITH POLITICAL AFFILIATONS AND GIVE THE KIDDO A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF AND HAVE HIS PERFORMANCE PROPERLY EVALUATED WITHOUT BIASED IF HE DID GOOD LET IT BE! AND IF NOT THEN LET THE AXE FALL AND KICK THE TODDLER OUT OF HIS CRIB! AND BRING HER BACK UNDER HER MOTHERS SKIRT!!!

2. "...They’re scared of him because he's qualified." - Coming from an elected congresswoman. So that means those people ("detractors") must be less qualified than this dude. Hmmmm...

3. "...Magsaysay said he should not be perceived as someone riding on the name of his family." - Duh, taking up PolSci and adding SBMA Director to his biodata with a surname like yours, tell me dude, who are you kidding?

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16 January 2012